Start with Why to Inspire More Action
Why are some people and organizations more innovative, more influential, and more profitable than others? Why do some command greater loyalty from customers and employees alike? Even among the successful, why are so few able to repeat their success over and over?
Based off the Simon Sintek novel ‘Start with Why’ we sat down with Jason Teeters, from Second Muse, to discuss why organizations guided by this concept succeed more often than those who don’t. To listen to the entire episode click the play button below, or keep reading to learn how you can build a framework for your business to inspire more action.
Start with Why
Simon Sinek starts with a fundamental question: "Why are some people and organizations more innovative, more influential, and more profitable than others?"
Some of the most famous people of recent times like Steve Jobs, the Wright Brothers, and even Martin Luther King Jr. all had one thing in common, they all started with 'Why.' They realized that the only way for people to truly buy into their product, service, or movement, was if they understand their 'Why' behind it.
"People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it."
The whole concept of starting with 'Why' is a very impactful way to communicate with others, especially in the business world. If you can define your particular value proposition to your customers, you can inspire them to act. Communicating through your 'Why' is the foundation of a strong value proposition that will differentiate your organization from your competitors.
If you have time, we recommend watching the original TED Talk below, where Simon first shares his fundamental realization of starting with 'Why.' It has gone on to become one of the most watched TED Talks of all time.
The Golden Circle
In his novel, Simon states that leaders who've had the greatest influence in the world all think, act, and communicate the same way. He calls this powerful idea The Golden Circle, and it provides the foundation which all successful organizations and businesses can be built upon. It's a circle with three layers: outer, middle and an inner layer. The idea states that the traditional way of communicating is from the outside in, but great leaders and organizations communicate from the inside out.
What
Every organization on the planet knows what they do. These are the products a company sells or the services that it offers.
How
Some organizations know how they do it. These are the things that make them special or set them a part from others. For some organizations, this could be their customer experience or technology platform that sets them apart from their competitors.
Why
Very few organizations know why they do what they do. It's not about making a profit, that's a result. The 'Why' is a purpose, or belief. It's the very reason your organization was started in the first place.
Successful people and organizations express why they do what they do rather than focusing on what they do. In other words, they communicate from the inside of the circle to the outside. By doing so, it will allow you to develop a distinctive proposition for your brand amongst similar service providers.
Three Steps to Find Your Why
It's important to note that your 'Why' isn't a 'What.' It's not a product, service, or sales goals. It can be helpful to think of a 'Why' as a vision statement that describes how a company sees itself and the work it does. Your 'Why' is meant to be inspirational, but not vague. It must feel specific to your company.
If you're having trouble coming up with your own 'Why" for your business, don't worry, in our podcast episode we break it down in three simple steps:
- Who are the people that you're trying to help?
- What is the problem that you're trying to solve for them?
- What can they do once that problem is solved? How have you made their life better?
If you can identify the people you help and what happens to those people once you help them, your 'Why' should become much more clear. At the end of the day, your 'Why' should allow you to clearly understand how the work you do is contributing to fulfilling your company’s purpose.
Learn More
If you'd like to hear more from local industry experts about digital marketing, social media, technology, and business development, check out our most recent podcast episodes here. To learn more about how SWFL Inc. can help grow your business, send us a message here.